Teenage boy held on charges he shot sleeping mother and brother

A 14-year-old boy is accused of shooting his mother and eight-year-old brother once each in the forehead as they slept and calling 911 to insinuate his father did it, Pennsylvania state police said on Thursday.

The teenage boy called 911 just before 7am Wednesday, saying his mother and younger brother were dead and his father placed a gun in his bed before leaving the house in New Stanton, State Police Trooper Stephen Limani said at a news conference.

The boy later told officers he took a gun from atop the refrigerator, loaded it and then shot his mother Dana Remaley and younger brother after his father, David, went to work, police said. The 14-year-old also allegedly told police he would have shot his father, too, had he been at the home, about 25 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

An ambulance was first to arrive on the scene on Wednesday. Workers gave the teen a blanket and started to question him when he went back inside the home to get the firearm, Mr Limani said. Since the workers aren't trained to deal with someone with a gun, they retreated from the home until troopers responded.

During the time before troopers arrived, the teen apparently retrieved the gun and was walking down the street carrying it when he encountered neighbour, police said. That neighbour engaged the boy in conversation, leading him to discard the gun and approach officers, Mr Limani said.

"That neighbour did a very good job in de-escalating the situation," Mr Limani said. "The last thing we want to do is approach a 14-year-old with a firearm."

The only indication of a motive is that the teen and his parents weren't getting along lately, Mr Limani said. However, his relationship with his little brother was seemingly good, especially considering their age difference, he said.

A friend of the family described the 14-year-old as a polite, kind, straight-A student who was involved in sports and in church.

Anita Stoner told WTAE-TV her son is a good friend of the boy's, and she was friends with Dana Remaley.

"He's such a good kid," she said. "If you could pick a friend for your kid it would be [him]."

She said Dana Remaley was generous and always willing to lend a hand.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without her," she said. "She was always there for me."

The teen was still being medically treated Thursday, and mental health evaluations were pending, Mr Limani said. He is awaiting arraignment on two counts each of criminal homicide and first-degree murder, charged as an adult. No attorney information is available.